Tatcha Gold Collection

That guilty smudge in the pot of lip balm is mute evidence of my enthusiasm in being able to try the new Tatcha Gold Collection. "Enthusiasm" being that I tore the two products out of their beautifully wrapped boxes and immediately set to rubbing the contents on my face. I've sang praises about every single Tatcha product ever created (all reviews can be found under the Tatcha label) so I didn't have any reason to expect singing another tune, and of course, Vicky Tsai does it again. Could she please start a Japanese-inspired makeup line?

First, the Tatcha Camellia Nourishing Lip Balm. Forgive me for sounding like a saleswoman, but this has the whole package: feel, taste, smell, look. The camellia-oil infused formula has a delicate scent, and goes on lips just like how a lip balm should—I don't know if i can be more specific about the feeling. It's just really really comfortable and moisturizing. It also looks like a very mild gloss when applied, and elevates bare lips to a certain degree of polish. The gold leaf is what I think of as a beautiful accessory. It's not needed, but definitely adds charm to the whole package by being there. When crushed and applied, the resulting effect is little morsels of shimmer on your lips.

I've tried some of the more popular face oils in the market, and the Tatcha Camellia Beauty Oil is my favorite so far, again because it possesses the whole package. I apply a couple of drops onto my face and neck, and usually smooth the remnants on my fingers onto my hair. I do usually use it over a serum, because I realized that beauty oils are better substitutes for moisturizer (to retain moisture) than a moisturizing serum. Somehow, the Tatcha oil is oily but not oily—it's closer in texture to the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate, which means it dries down relatively quickly, but feels more moisturizing like the Rodin Olio Lusso Luxury Face Oil. Camellia oil also smells fantastic.

Tatcha Camellia Nourishing Lip Balm retails for $36, while the Camellia Beauty Oil goes for $125, both available at tatcha.com.

Full disclosure: This entry contains sample products sent by PR or the manufacturer for editorial consideration.